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Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

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Canto 4 · The Creation of the Fourth Order · 31 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 4 · Chapter 21: Instructions by Mahārāja Pṛthu
4.21.334.21.35

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 4.21.34

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:King Pṛthusince 4.21.25inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitMaitreya Ṛṣi → Vidura

असाविहानेकगुणोऽगुणोऽध्वर:

पृथग्विधद्रव्यगुणक्रियोक्तिभि: ।

सम्पद्यतेऽर्थाशयलिङ्गनामभि-

र्विशुद्धविज्ञानघन: स्वरूपत: ॥ ३४ ॥

asāv ihāneka-guṇo ’guṇo ’dhvaraḥ

pṛthag-vidha-dravya-guṇa-kriyoktibhiḥ

sampadyate ’rthāśaya-liṅga-nāmabhir

viśuddha-vijñāna-ghanaḥ svarūpataḥ

Translation

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is transcendental and not contaminated by this material world. But although He is concentrated spirit soul without material variety, for the benefit of the conditioned soul He nevertheless accepts different types of sacrifice performed with various material elements, rituals and mantras and offered to the demigods under different names according to the interests and purposes of the performers.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Satisfying the Supreme Lord Purifies Our Activities

  1. 1

    The ultimate goal of sacrifice is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. Even when offerings are made in the names of demigods, the Supreme Lord is their actual enjoyer.

  2. 2

    Even a little endeavor to please Lord Viṣṇu is bhakti and is of great value. This touch of devotional service gradually purifies activities performed for material benefit.

  3. 3

    Lord Kṛṣṇa has complete transcendental knowledge and remains untouched by material qualities. Devotional service is the direct and best method of satisfying Him and gaining liberation from material bondage.

Key points from the purport
  • The purpose of performing yajñas is to get material benefit, but because the aim is to simultaneously satisfy the Supreme Lord, such yajñas have been recommended in the Vedas.
  • Any yajña performed with this complete knowledge and understanding is described in Bhagavad-gītā as brahmārpaṇam, or a sacrifice offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
  • The Supreme Personality of Godhead is viśuddha-vijñāna-ghana, concentrated transcendental knowledge; therefore, even though He accepts karma-kāṇḍīya materialistic yajñas, He always remains in a transcendental position.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 5

The purport of SB 4.21.34 quotesBG 3.10

In Bhagavad-gītā (3.10) it is confirmed that Lord Brahmā created all living entities, including human beings and demigods, and advised them to perform yajña according to their material desires (saha-yajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā).

The purport of SB 4.21.34 quotesBG 4.24

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (4.24): “A person who is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is sure to attain the spiritual kingdom because of his full contribution to spiritual activities, in which the consummation is absolute and that which is offered is of the same spiritual nature.”

The purport of SB 4.21.34 quotesSB 7.5.23-24

sakhyam ātma-nivedanam. This ninefold process is described in this verse as viśuddha-vijñāna-ghanaḥ, or satisfying the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly by transcendental knowledge concentrated on the form of the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu.

The purport of SB 4.21.34 quotesSB 2.9.15

Śriyaḥ patiṁ yajña-patiṁ jagat-patim. The Supreme Personality of Godhead’s deep scientific knowledge is concentrated to the supreme point.

The purport of SB 4.21.34 quotesSB 2.3.10

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.3.10) therefore recommends: Everyone — whether akāma (a devotee), sarva-kāma (a karmī) or mokṣa-kāma (a jñānī or yogī) — is encouraged to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead by the direct method of devotional service.

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Anger and disorder → Duty and devotion. Kingship shifts from domination to stewardship and renunciation.

Chapters 13–23 of Canto 4: Vena and Pṛthu: power, the Earth and stewardship. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 21: Instructions by Mahārāja Pṛthu

Pṛthu addresses an assembly about devotional service and respect for brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas.

Back to this verse in chapter 4.21
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. asauthe Supreme Personality of Godhead
  2. ihain this material world
  3. anekavarious
  4. guṇaḥqualities
  5. aguṇaḥtranscendental
  6. adhvaraḥyajña
  7. pṛthak-vidhavarieties
  8. dravyaphysical elements
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

  • Śuddhi · Inner transformation

    The reorientation of the heart toward service. · Theme in SB 4.21

    In this verse: “contaminated”, “purifies”

  • Jñāna · Spiritual insight

    Inquiry, revelation and discrimination between self and matter. · Theme in SB 4.21

    In this verse: “spirit soul”, “knowledge”

  • Bhakti · Devotion and loving service

    How devotion reorganizes desire and action. · Theme in SB 4.21

    In this verse: “devotional service”, “bhakti”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How could I shift my attention from gaining something for myself to pleasing the Supreme Lord?

Practice

Spend a few minutes remembering the Supreme Lord, making His satisfaction—not material gain—your purpose.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Connected stories

Keep going: stories told elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam that this verse or its purport brings in.

The purport quotesSB 7.5.23SB 2.9.15SB 2.3.10

Found where this verse or Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport names them. See all of chapter 4.21's connections

Live this todaySatisfying the Supreme Lord Purifies Our ActivitiesThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 4.21.34? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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